1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sleeve valve to be used in conjunction with a pulsed gas generator, especially a pulsed rocket engine for underwater acoustic applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been proposed that the pulsed rocket engine, designated the "Hippe", produced by the Rockwell International Corporation, Canoga Park, Calif., be utilized as an underwater sonic source. One version of this engine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,546, issued Mar. 31, 1981 to H. S. Stratton. The engine can deliver a 3-10 msec pulse of exhaust gas at chosen pressures up to about 15,000 psi. However, it has been found that a pulse of pressure enduring for such a length of time tends to be absorbed by the large volume of water into which the pulse is delivered rather than to generate a useful acoustic wave, i.e., that the acoustic pressure wave does not attain as high an amplitude as it would with a shorter delivery time.